Claremore Police: Drug Deal Led To Shootout In Quiet Neighborhood

Claremore Police are investigating after they said a drug deal turned into a shootout in a quiet neighborhood.

Police said nobody was hurt, but several stray bullets hit nearby homes while people were there.

"It's a great neighborhood,” said Tammy Wheetley. “Kids play outside all the time. You have to drive slow though because there's usually kids on their bikes, scooters and tricycles."

Tammy Wheetley said she's lived in this quiet neighborhood for 10 years, which is just off Route 66, southwest of Claremore. She said her daughter, Rachel, loves to ride her scooter around the neighborhood.

"I like to play with my friends,” said Rachel Wheetley-Shaver.

Tammy and Rachel said they both heard a loud noise Monday night around 10:30, then their dogs started barking, but at first, they weren't sure what it was.

"I told her it was probably a transformer because that's just what I figured it probably was but nope next thing I know police were knocking at my door,” said Wheetley.

Claremore Deputy Police Chief Steve Cox said they quickly learned that this was a drug deal gone bad that ended with a shootout in the middle of the street. He said stray bullets even went into a nearby garage.

"We know that there was at least one house that had a small child sleeping inside,” Cox said. “Thankfully, no one was hurt but this could've been a very different situation.” 

Cox said officers were able to catch up with some of the people involved but are still looking for at least two others.

"There's nobody that’s been arrested at this time,” said Cox. “Obviously we need to find the other half and talk to them because this was a pretty wild shootout."

Cox said several homes in the neighborhood have surveillance cameras but it’s difficult to identify the type of car they were driving. At this time, officers believe it's a small, dark-colored, four-door car.